CHAPTER 3
1620 Words
Aurelia's POV
"I'm so sorry," I repeated, fumbling with the napkins I'd pulled from my bag. I reached toward Drake's coffee-stained jacket with trembling hands. "Please, let me help—"
"Don't," Drake said firmly, stepping back from my outstretched hands. His blue eyes weren't exactly cold, but there was a wariness in them that made my chest tighten.
Jaxon similarly moved away when I tried to dab at the dark stain spreading across his shoulder. "We've got it," he said, his tone gentler than his twin's but still leaving no room for argument.
The rejection stung more than it should have. They were right to push me away—I'd already caused enough damage. But something about their proximity had triggered an unexpected response in me, a strange pull that left me confused and off-balance.
"Look at that," Sasha's mocking voice cut through my thoughts. "Even the Kane brothers don't want your help. Can't say I blame them." She flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder, shooting a simpering smile at Caesar before sashaying away with her entourage in tow.
My cheeks burned with humiliation. The entire foyer was still watching, dozens of eyes fixed on the unfolding drama between a wolf-less omega and three of the most powerful alphas on campus.
"Don't worry about it," Caesar said unexpectedly, his deep voice sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. Those green eyes studied me with an intensity that made my omega instincts flutter. "My brothers have survived worse."
Before I could respond, the three Kanes turned and walked away, their powerful presence leaving a vacuum in the hallway. Students quickly filled the space, buzzing with excited whispers about what they'd just witnessed.
Cecil appeared at my side, her arm sliding around my shoulders. "Well, that could have been much worse."
"How exactly?" I groaned, leaning into her supportive embrace. "I just dumped hot coffee on two Kane brothers while the third one watched. My life is officially over."
"But they didn't eviscerate you on the spot," Cecil pointed out reasonably. "That's a win in my book."
I attempted a smile, but my heart was still racing from the encounter. "Let's just get to class before anything else catastrophic happens."
Throughout Dr. Silverman's lecture on lupine cellular regeneration, I couldn't focus. My mind kept replaying the incident—the way Drake and Jaxon had pulled away from my touch, the curious look in Caesar's eyes. And underneath it all, that strange pull I'd felt in their presence, like my dormant wolf was straining toward something it recognized.
"Earth to Aurelia," Cecil whispered, nudging me as the professor dismissed the class. "You've been staring at the same page for twenty minutes."
I blinked, looking down at my blank notebook. "Sorry, I just—"
"Can't stop thinking about the Kanes? Join the club." Cecil smirked. "Though most omegas don't get to make quite such a splashy first impression."
I gathered my books with a sigh. "This isn't helping my career aspirations. I need to be a doctor, Cecil. It's all I've ever wanted."
"Then you know what you need to do," Cecil said more seriously. "You need to manifest your wolf."
My friend's words followed me through the rest of the day's classes. As much as I hated to admit it, she was right. Without my wolf, the royal physician position was nothing but a pipe dream.
"What about Caesar?" Cecil suggested over lunch. "We saw him this morning, and he's been watching you."
"Caesar Kane?" I nearly choked on my water. "The eldest of the Kane brothers and hockey team captain?"
Cecil nodded, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "He's an alpha, he's hot, and rumor has it he's very... experienced with omegas."
I felt my face heat at the implication. "I can't just proposition an alpha I barely know, especially not a Kane."
"Why not? It could be a mutually beneficial arrangement. You get your wolf, he gets..." Cecil wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"Stop!" I laughed despite myself, throwing a grape at her. "You're impossible."
But as the day wore on, I couldn't help considering it. Caesar was undeniably handsome, with his intense green eyes and powerful presence. He was intimidating, yes, but if what the fortune teller said was true, mating with an alpha like him might be exactly what I needed to trigger my wolf's.
After my last class ended, Cecil headed to work at the campus coffee shop, and I decided to visit the library. There was a special event happening on the quad—some sort of fall festival with music and food stalls—which meant the library would be blissfully empty.
"You sure you don't want to come to the festival?" Cecil asked as we parted ways. "All work and no play makes Aurelia a dull wolf."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm not a wolf yet, remember? That's the whole problem."
The library was indeed nearly deserted when I arrived, just as I'd hoped. The silence was a welcome respite after the chaos of the morning. I made my way to the medical section on the third floor, my footsteps echoing in the empty space.
The book I needed—"Rare Werewolf: Case Studies and Treatments"—was supposedly on the back shelf in a rarely visited corner of the supernatural medical texts. As I rounded the final shelf, a sound stopped me in my tracks.
A low groan, distinctly masculine, followed by the unmistakable rhythm of flesh against flesh.
I should have walked away immediately. Instead, some curiosity made me take one more step, peering around the edge of the bookshelf.
The sight that greeted me sent a jolt of shock through my system. Caesar Kane, the very alpha, Cecil and I had been discussing earlier, was leaning against the wall between two bookcases, his jeans pushed down to his thighs, his hand working furiously over what was undeniably the largest c**k I'd ever seen.
“Ahh..fuck,” he groaned as he was m**********g in f*****g library.
His eyes were closed, head tilted back in pleasure, completely unaware of my presence. I couldn’t help to watch him as he stroke his c**k and pleasure himself.
And the last thing I was shocked, he cummed on his hand.
I gasped to watch it, and that mistake of mine made Caesar's eyes snap open, locking with mine, and for one horrifying moment, we just stared at each other.
Then I turned and ran.
"Hey!" I heard him call behind me, followed by the sound of hurried movements and quick footsteps.
Heart pounding, I darted between bookshelves, heading for the stairs. The library was too quiet, too empty—there was no one to witness what was happening, no one to help if I needed it.
I had nearly reached the stairwell when a strong hand gripped my arm, spinning me around.
"Where do you think you're going?" Caesar's voice was rough, his green eyes wild as they bore into mine. He'd hastily fixed his clothing, but the musky scent of his arousal still clung to him, making my head swim.
"I'm sorry," I stammered, trying to pull away. "I didn't mean to—I was just looking for a book—"
"You were spying on me," he accused, his grip tightening.
"No! It was an accident, I swear." Fear clawed at my throat as I realized how vulnerable I was. An omega with no wolf, alone with an aroused alpha. "Please, let me go."
Instead of releasing me, he stepped closer, his nostrils flaring as he scented me. "You're that omega, aren't you? The one without a wolf." A slow smile spread across his face. "I can smell it on you. The emptiness where your wolf should be."
I struggled against his hold. "Let me go! Someone will come—"
"No one's coming," he said with certainty. "Everyone's at that stupid festival. It's just you and me, little omega."
Terror shot through me. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Yes, I needed an alpha to trigger my wolf, but not like this—not forced, not with someone who looked at me like I was prey.
"Please," I begged, my voice breaking. "Don't do this. Just give me a chance to leave. I won't tell anyone what I saw."
Something shifted in Caesar's expression—not softening exactly, but recalculating. "A chance?" he repeated, his thumb tracing a circle on my wrist where he held me. "Maybe we can help each other out."
Confusion mingled with my fear. "What do you mean?"
His grip on my arm loosened slightly, but he didn't let go. "You need something only an alpha can give you, don't you? Your wolf." The way he said it made it clear he knew exactly what that entailed. "And I need some... entertainment for tonight."
My stomach dropped. "I don't—"
"Come with me," he said, his tone making it clear this wasn't a request. "There's an alpha party at the old brewery tonight. You'll be my date."
"A date?" I repeated, not trusting his sudden change in demeanor.
Caesar's smile didn't reach his eyes. "A date. And afterward, if you're good, maybe I'll help you as well." He leaned closer, his breath hot against my ear. "Who knows? Maybe you'll even enjoy it."
I swallowed hard, weighing my options. I could scream, but no one would hear. I could fight, but without my wolf, I was no match for an alpha's strength. Or I could play along, agree to his terms, and find a way to escape once we were somewhere public.
"O-okay," I finally whispered, hating the tremor in my voice. "I'll go with you."
- Writer
